Loose-leaf binder



April 24, 1945.

In ven for INI? |HIILI 2 o ,il 0 z z 5 2 71, --.-6 a z -w Mil.. u Nimh@z z w -w mlilw Patented Apr. 24, 1945 U ,gUNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` i i l ,2,374,t35H i l l LoosE-LEAF `tirannia` e Clyde Tr Cadwallader,Kenmore, N. Y., assigner to Dorothy Cadwallader, Kenmore, N. Y.Application May 1s, 1944,` serialiNo. 536,'1315` i f 3 Claims.` (Cl.12S- 17) Myinvention relates to improvements in loose leaf bindersimwhich the binding mechanism consists of la plurality of rings whichpass throughsmall` holes arranged in a row along the binding marginofthe sheets.

The objects of my invention are to provide a loose leaf binderin `whichthe :rings canbe `constructed of `wire and the ring supporting structurecan.l be constructed of flat material, and in which the rings of". thebinder can be opened or closed for the purpose `of `inserting orwithdrawing; sheets` withoutmanipulating the rings individually. y

1 A `further object of my invention is 'to provide a; binder ini which.each ring consistsof two interacting wire loops which reenforce eachother and. give additional stability and rigidity to the ring binderassembly. H l

. 'Inthe drawing:

Figure `1 is a fragmentary top view of a book in an openedposition are'not shown.;` 1 l Figure 2 is an elevation of the binder with the noteinwhich the covers `covers andsheets removed;`

`ligureis a vertical sectionftaken onthe line 3 -1-3 of` Figure 1;

`Figure 4 is a View in wire loops; i l

Figure 5 is avertical section taken ontheline 33` of `Figure 1,`corresponding with Figure 3,

`with the rings in an opened position.

The rings of the binder are composed of two inwardly curved wire loops1-1 which engage each other when the loops are in a closed position bythe interaction of their overlapping and underlapping end surfaces, asshown in Figure 3. When in such closed position each pair of loopsdescribes an arc of approximately 240 degrees of a circle slightlyflattened at` the top.

At their other ends loops 1-1 are each provided with short feet, 8 and 9respectively. VFeet 8 and 9 are disposed in opposite directions, foot 8being pointed inwardlylrelative to the arc genperspective of one of thepoints instead of one, thus dividing the strain at' the holes andcounteracting the tendency of `the erally described by loop 'l and foot9 being pointof loops 1 1 are in contact with loop supporting frameplates ID-I and back plates l2-l2. The effect of feet 8 and 9 beingwedged in between loop supporting frame plates lll-l0 and back platesiz-lz is to support loops-J muprght and rigid positions relative totheir respective back plates...4 v

e `Backplates |2-I2 are hinged together .at their "inner edges by afabric hinge Ill and are hinged at theirouter edges to `covers I5l 5 bythemsame means, thel fabric hinge I 4 being adhesively attached tobackplates l2-l2 andcovers l5,-l5 `Between loop supporting frame platesIll-,l0

and back plates |2|2 at` each end, and in frictional contact therewith,are stiffener plates pin l1 and intercepted by'a stop I8. `Whenstiffener `plates Iii-I6 are pulled out of engagement with loopsupporting frame plates |0--lll and back plates' `I2-l2 `the back of thebinder can e be broken inwardly, as :isshown in Figure 5, so as to moveinto an openedlposition loops 1 1, permitting the insertion orWithdrawal o-fsheets i9; Sheets I9 are provided `with holes 20 intowhich ei-ther rowof loops l--l` are inserted. -l

Although; Figures 1, 2; and 3 show the loop supporting frame plates`lll-f-lll and back plates l2-l2 `to be of the same dimensions, thisneed not necessarily be so. If covers I5--l5l` are of stiff material itAmay be of advantagefor them to converge as theyapproach the edgesopposite thezbinding edge, as is afwell known feature innotebooks-lof:this ltype. `This can readily be accomplished by `.making back.` plates|2--I2 slightly wider than loop supporting frame plates lll-IIJ, thuscausing them to project slightly beyond the lines of the loop supportingframe plates at their outer edges. `Such an arrangement is shown inFigure 5. `l l The advantages of my invention are that it provides abinder whose pages and covers lieflat on the supporting surface, that itlprovides a sethe pages when they are being `turned at four pages totear loose, that it permits an indenite increase in the number of ringsto be used, and that it reduces the thickness of the binder.

It will be observed that material other than wire can be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. For instance, each of therings could becomposed of two overlapping prongs of hat or of arcuatecross section, each prong provided at its lower end with a pair of legsbent at their respective ends to form two feet, one foot pointedinwardly of the are generally described .by the prong, and the otherpointed `outwardly thereof.

thereof, a pair of frame plates provided with binder to be brokeninwardly and longitudinally, a pair of stiffener plates one at each endof the binder pivotally mounted between one frame plate and itscorrespondlngback plate and in frictional contact with the other frameplate and back plate at their ends, and adapted to hold the loops inoverlappingengagement when the stiffener plates are in engagement withboth frame plates and with both back plates, and releasable to permitthe loops to be drawn apart when the stiffener plates are taken out ofsuch engagei inent and the back vof the binder is broken inspaced pairsof holes into which the feet are in-7 serted, a pair of back platesattached to the frame plates and retaining the feet between one backplate and its corresponding frame plate, the back plates being hingeablyattached'to each other at.

their inner edges so as to permit the back of the binder to be brokeninwardly and longitudinally,

a pair of stiffener plates one at each end of the binder pivotallymounted between one back plate and rits corresponding frame plate and infrictional contact with the other frame'plate yand back plate `at theirends, and adapted to hold the prongs in overlapping engagement when thestifrener plates are in engagement with both frame plates and with bothback plates and releasable to permit the prongs to be drawn apart whenthe stiffener plates are taken out of such engagement and the back ofthe binder is broken inwardly and the outer or lower surfaces of theback plates are moved into contiguity with each other on theirconnecting hinge.

2. In a ring binding construction for a stack of sheets, a plurality ofpairs of wire loops curved inwardly to form rings, each ring describingan are of approximately 240 degrees of a circle slightly flattened atthe top, the loops overlapping at their engaging ends' to permit them tointerlock detachably, each loop provided at its lower end with a pair offeet, rone Aof which is pointed inwardly of the arc generally describedby the loop and the other pointed outwardly thereof, a pair of frameplates provided with pairs of spaced holes into which the feet areinserted, a pair of back plates attached to the vframe plates andretaining the feet between one back plate and its corresponding frameplate, the back plates being hingeably attached to each other at theirinner edges so as to permit the back of the wardly on the hinge betweenthe back plates to permit the insertion or withdrawal of sheets pro- 3.In a ring binding construction for a stack of sheets, a plurality ofpairs of wire loops curved inwardly to formV rings, each ring describingan arc of approximately 240 degrees of a circle slightly flattened atthe top, the loops overlapping at their engaging ends to permit them tointerlock detachably, each loop providedat its lower end with a pair offeet, one of which isl pointed inwardly of the arc generally describedby the loop, and the other pointed outwardly thereof, a pair of frameplates provided with pairs of spaced holes -into ywhich the feet areinserted, a pair of back plates attached to the frame plates andretaining the feet between one back plate and its corresponding frameplate, the back plates being hingeably 'attached to 'each other at theirinner edges, a pair of covers hingeably attached to the back plates attheir outer edges by a flexible covering adhesively attached tothe backplates and covers at their outer surfaces and adapted to permit movementof the back plates to a, position where they are contiguous at theirouter surfaces and the loops are drawn apart, permitting the insertionor withdrawal of sheets, a pair of stifl`- ener .plates one at each endof the binder piv' otally mounted between one frame plate and itscorresponding back plate and in frictional contact with the other frameplate and back plate at their ends, and adapted to hold the loops inoverlapping engagement when the stiffener plates are in engagement withboth frame plates and with both back plates, and releasable to vpermitthe loops to be drawn apart when the stiffener plates are taken out ofsuch engagement.

y CLYDE T. CADWALLADER.

